ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
Sunday 16 October - Sunday 13 November, 2022
Australia; Adelaide, Brisbane, Geelong, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney
The first of a trio of year-ending men’s World Cups is upon us, with rugby league and football following cricket’s lead through to Christmas.
It is a sporting feast. And England are amongst the favourites to gobble up the starter, thus pinching the crown Australia won in the UAE last November.
The second T20 World Cup in the space of 12 months is being played because of knock-on effect of the Covid pandemic.
It says much about the strength of English white ball cricket at the moment - both quality and depth of talent - that England will be widely tipped for silverware despite a pretty patchy lead-in period over the last 12 months.
They have lost to West Indies, India and South Africa already this year and were 3-2 down in Pakistan late last month. It is only in the last few weeks where they have found some form and momentum.
And they look one heck of a side again.
At time of writing, they are 2-0 up in a three-match warm-up series against Australia, so let’s hope it is a case of peaking at the right time for a side who are a best price of 7/2 with a number of firms, including vbet.
:quality(70)/res.cloudinary.com/xlmedia-alpha/image/upload/v1650969581/Salesforce_Logos/VBET/VBET_Logo_2022-04-26T10-39-35.png){kind=logo}
England to win the T20 World Cup - 7/2
England are Graham's main fancy for the tournament
At 7/2 a £10 bet would return £45
T20 World Cup
They are behind favourites Australia and India, who are 11/4 and 10/3.
England would be my tip, as I believe when they are playing their best cricket they are the best side in the world. That is what they are doing now, playing superb cricket.
Proteas power could be the way forwards if you fancy a bigger price
To me, South Africa are the team who provides the value at 8/1 with a number of firms, including bet365.
:quality(70)/res.cloudinary.com/xlmedia-alpha/image/upload/v1650901211/Salesforce_Logos/Bet365/Bet365_Logo_2022-04-25T15-40-05.png){kind=logo}
South Africa to win the T20 World Cup - 8/1
South Africa look the best value from those at bigger odds
At 8/1 a £10 bet would return £90
T20 World Cup
Here is a nation who has come close many times before to a maiden ICC world trophy but have fallen short for various reasons, chiefly succumbing to the pressure of the big moments.
But the Proteas are a team in some form. They have won five of their last seven T20 series dating back to last July, losing only one - their latest against India in India only a couple of weeks ago.
They haven’t had the best of tours of India, including a 2-1 T20 series loss. Outgoing coach Mark Boucher has even talked about a bit of fatigue.
But that and his impending departure after the tournament could take a bit of pressure off and free the players up to just go and have a crack.
They beat England 2-1 in England over the summer, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they had a good run at an event which proved disappointing last year with a group stage exit.
Led by captain Temba Bavuma, they have talented players such as de Kock, Miller, Nortje, Rabada, Rossouw, Maharaj and Stubbs at their disposal to name a few.
They would be my alternative pick to England, so an each way punt maybe the way to go. Bet365 are offering two places on that, so effectively you are backing them to reach the final to return money.
Betfair have actually priced that up as a standalone bet. South Africa to reach the final is 7/2.
:quality(70)/res.cloudinary.com/xlmedia-alpha/image/upload/v1678693945/Salesforce_Logos/Betfair/Betfair_Logo_2023-03-13T07-52-16.png){kind=logo}
South Africa to reach the final - 7/2
This bet limits the risk by choosing South Africa to make the final
At 7/2 a £10 bet would return £45
T20 World Cup
They are also 6/5 with the same company to reach the semi-finals.
South Africa to reach the semi finals - 6/5
South Africa to reach the final four
At 6/5 a £10 bet would return £22
T20 World Cup
They are in the same group as India and Pakistan, so you would think need to better the performances of one of those to qualify for the last four.
Tournament format
Let’s have a quick run through of the format.
There are three stages to the tournament. The first is the qualifying section for the likes of Ireland and Scotland and the West Indies.
Two groups of four, playing each other once, the top two in each heads through to the Super 12 section.
That is then two groups of six. Group One consists of Afghanistan, Australia, England, New Zealand, Group A winner and Group B runner-up. Group Two is Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Group A runner-up, Group B winner.
Again, play each other once and the top two head through to the semi-finals.
#OddsOnThat selections provide long-term interest
You should know by now that I do like to dip into betfair’s combinations, and there are a couple of things I like in their pre-tournament markets which should provide interest right through to November 13.
One is a short price, the other is a complete long shot.
The first is the 13/5 they are offering on any team to score 225 plus runs in an innings during the event.
Any team to score 225 or more - 13/5
Graham likes someone to score big in this tournament
At 13/5 a £10 bet would return £36
T20 World Cup
How often do we see 200 plus scores nowadays in innings? Very is the answer.
Just take the opening game of the Australia v England series earlier this week as a snap shot. England posted 208-6 and Australia replied with 200-9, and both teams slowed down significantly late in their innings.
With some one-sided games likely at high-scoring venues such as Hobart, Adelaide and Brisbane, this has every chance of landing.
Along the same lines of batter domination and increased power, it surprises me that we haven’t seen more than 10 players in the history of the game - at first-team level - hit six sixes in an over.
Since Sir Garfield Sobers did it for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan in a County Championship match in 1968, only nine others have done it, the latest being USA batter Jaskaran Malhotra in an ODI against Papua New Guinea last year.
Betfair have that priced up at 55/1.
Any player to score six 6s in an over - 55/1
Graham thinks we may see another player make history
At 55/1 a £10 bet would return £560
T20 World Cup
Top batters and bowlers markets
I am going for a top batter treble through the tournament with betfair, which pays 27.07/1.
The first two speak for themselves. Jos Buttler and David Warner, two superstars from England and Australia. The third leg comes from Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka, who top-scored for his country in their recent Asia Cup triumph and has scored two half-centuries in his last three innings.
Jos Buttler, David Warner, Pathum Nissanka Top Batsman for Team Treble - 27/1
Graham has three players he likes to be the top scorer for their team
At 27/1 a £10 bet would return £280
T20 World Cup
I also quite like the 50/1 the same company - betfair are offering on South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw to be the leading run-scorer in the tournament.
The left-hander, who took up Kolpak status with Hampshire in 2017 before returning to the international fold midway through this year, has enjoyed an excellent 2022 in short form cricket.
Starting with a Vitality Blast campaign with Somerset in May, the clean-striking number three has scored 924 runs in 28 innings for club and country, including the Hundred with Oval Invincibles.
Rilee Rossouw Top Tournament Scorer - 50/1
A big priced fancy for Graham in the tournament top scorer market
At 50/1 a £10 bet would return £510
T20 World Cup
He has scored eight half-centuries and one hundred in that run - the latter for his country against India at the start of the month.
As a long shot price, I think he provides excellent value.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/xlmedia/be51e2df-a7fd-4f62-a80e-6f729ca228d9.jpg)
